chapter seventeen: recapture

"Hey Natsu," Sting said weakly.

"Yo."

"When we get out of this, let's fight."

Natsu looked in the direction of Sting's voice. "Deal."

A few minutes passed, and Natsu spoke up. "They wanted us for something."

"Oh, really? I didn't know that," Sting said sarcastically.

"They got Lucy and Rogue, and us. Three dragon slayers and a celestial spirit wizard," Natsu continued. He struggled against his restraints.

"Wait, so you think that whatever they're after, it has to do with us dragon slayers and Lucy and Yukino?" Sting asked.

"Yeah, and the treatment will be the same no matter who they get." Natsu wriggled around in his cuffs. "Think we got enough strength to break these things?"

"Only one way to find out."

"It's useless to try," someone said from outside Natsu's cell. He looked over and saw Zeref standing there, his eyes an angry red. "Those restraints are unbreakable."

"What do you need us for?" Natsu asked.

"Just a simple project of mine, nothing more," Zeref said. "I just need magic from your other three friends, and then it'll be complete."

Sting racked his brain, doing the quick math. "But there are four other dragon slayers besides Rogue and us."

"I'm talking about your friends Gajeel Redfox, Wendy Marvell, and Yukino Aguria." Zeref walked over to stand in front of Sting's cell. "After we get them, and recapture Rogue Cheney and Lucy Heartfilia, I think we can get started on the end of my project."

"Don't you dare hurt Lucy again!" Natsu yelled.

Zeref looked over at him. "I already have a plan in motion to recapture her and Rogue. However, I have yet to set my plan in motion to capture the remaining Celestial Spirit Wizard, the Sky Dragon Slayer, and the Iron Dragon Slayer."

Natsu glared at Zeref through the bars on his cell. "When will you tell us what your little project is?" he asked him.

"In due time. Right now I must take my leave. You will be reunited with your friends soon, Natsu Dragneel and Sting Eucliffe." Zeref turned away from them and disappeared.

"I'm tired of being kept in a cage like an animal," Natsu said furiously.

"Okay, so what are you going to do?" Sting asked him.

"What a Fairy Tail wizard is best known for: I'm going to destroy the whole damn thing!"

"Hey Rogue?"

Rogue turned to look at Lucy, who was taking a break from poring over a map. Everyone else had already gone home, and Master Makarov had allowed Rogue and Lucy to bring a few maps back to Lucy's apartment. Frosch, Lector, and Happy were all asleep on Lucy's bed, and she had made them both a cup of tea.

"Yeah?"

"What's this little place right here?" she asked, pointing at a location on the map she had in her lap. "Is it on one of the maps you have?"

Rogue shuffled through the maps he had. He found another plan that was close to the one Lucy had and began looking at it. "It's on here too. It's a little ways away from where we were held, but it's a viable location for a new hideout."

"Do you think they're being held there? Natsu and Sting?" Lucy asked.

"It's highly likely. The question is, how are we going to get there? It requires us crossing over a river, and there's no bridge listed on the map." Rogue searched over the other maps for a bridge. "Wait, here's one, but it's highly unlikely they used it due to it being so far away from the building."

"Aren't you a smart one."

Rogue stood up and pushed Lucy behind him. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

A man came out of the shadows. "Calm down. I'm only here on Zeref's order to ask you to come with me."

"We have no plans of coming with you," Lucy said. She pulled out her fleuve d'étoiles. "And if you even try to force us, we're prepared to fight."

"Oh really? Well, the way I see it, you have two options: either come with me quietly, or I'll make you come with me."

Rogue turned to look at Lucy. "Take Frosch, Lector, and Happy and get out of here. Hurry!"

"I can't leave you to fight him alone!" she told him.

"I can manage! Just go!"

Lucy ran over to her bed and scooped up the three snoozing Exceeds. "Be careful, Rogue, he seems powerful," Lucy told him. "Also, please try not to wreck my apartment."

"I'll do my best."

The man pulled out a cigarette. "Aw, come on. It's no fun when it's just one-on-one."

"Sorry, but you're just gonna have to deal with it!" Rogue said. I can't fight in Lucy's apartment, there's not enough room, he thought. If only we were outside, it'd make everything easier.

"Well, if I can't take both of you back, I can always take one of you. Although I have to say, Lord Zeref won't be too pleased about it."

Rogue went to attack the man but found he couldn't move. What the… I can't move! What's going on here?

"You're probably wondering why you can't move. I used my shadow possession magic on you. Your movements are now under my control," the man said. He started walking forward, and Rogue began walking toward him.

"Lucy, get out of here! Let him take me!" Rogue said.

"But I can't leave you here by yourself!" she told him, her hand on the door to her apartment.

"Just go!" Rogue turned to look at her and gave her a small smile. "I'll be sure to say hi to Natsu for you."

Lucy smiled weakly and edged her way out. She ran down the stairs and out of the building with Lector, Frosch, and Happy in her arms.